Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation unveiled its new Testing and Commissioning facility at its UK design and manufacturing site in Derby last Friday. The facility was formally opened by the Secretary of State for Transport, the Right Honourable Patrick McLoughlin, MP, in a ceremony held on May 13, attended by senior rail industry representatives.

Speaking at the launch event, Mr McLoughlin said, "I am delighted to open this new testing and commissioning facility in Derby, which will ensure passengers benefit from cutting edge trains with improved capacity and comfort. The government is making a record investment in our railways and it is fantastic to see firms such as Bombardier, who are delivering a £1billion contract for Crossrail as well as London Overground, make the most of the opportunities this brings. This new facility will help secure jobs in Derby, at the heart of the UK rail industry, and help to drive the Midlands engine for growth."

Measuring over 10,000 square metres, the new testing and commissioning facility features four train roads taking trains up to 250m in length. Each train road has full length overhead lines and vehicle servicing and inspection pits and is fully accessible by rail at both ends, connecting it to the existing test track and production facilities, also incorporating a two story office annexe with space for up to 90 employees. The facility provides a fully flexible multifunctional capability, being able to be configured for both initial engineering type-testing on multiple trains and for final acceptance testing and validation.

Richard Hunter, Managing Director, Bombardier Transportation UK said, "This new £12 million facility is one of the biggest investments in the history of our Derby site and 'V' Shop (as the finished test facility will be known) will be a fundamental part of both our current projects and future train builds, enhancing our ability to deliver all the stages of a new train product from a single UK site. It increases our capacity to deliver high volume orders within short timescales, ensuring we meet the future requirements of the UK market."

The new test facility forms part of an overall £20 million investment by Bombardier in its Derby Litchurch Lane premises, in support of both future deliveries and the new trains currently being constructed for Transport for London's new Elizabeth line (Crossrail) service. V Shop will initially be used for testing & commissioning the fleet of 66 Class 345 EMUs for the Crossrail project, based on Bombardier's new BOMBADIERAVENTRA platform. Each Elizabeth line train will comprise nine 23 metre vehicles, giving a length of over 200 metres for a complete trainset and the new facility will enable the 9-car trainsets to be tested complete, without the need to separate them.

The V Shop facility was built for Bombardier by Balfour Beatty, with construction commencing in December 2014. The investment doubles Bombardier's testing and commissioning capability at its Derby site and builds on its established presence of over 3,000 staff based at more than 20 sites UK-wide, which ensure and support its ongoing commitment to the market.

About Bombardier Transportation

At Bombardier Transportation, a global leader in rail technology, we take pride in creating better ways to move people. We provide integrated solutions, creating substantial benefits for operators, passengers and the environment. We drive innovation and are continuously breaking new ground in rail technologies, e-mobility and efficiency. As a committed long-term partner, we help our customers succeed, now and in the future. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Bombardier Transportation has products or services in more than 60 countries and offers the broadest portfolio in the industry.

About Bombardier

Bombardier is the world's leading manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.

Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indices. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, we posted revenues of $20.1 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.